Manufacturing of an electrically conducting cellular Cu-SiC material by metal salt infiltration and chemical reduction (MESCAL)

Abstract

The infiltration of cellular oxide-bonded silicon carbide (ob-SiC) ceramics with aqueous copper nitrate solutions (Cu(NO3)2) under ambient conditions followed by thermal decomposition of Cu(NO3)2 into copper oxide (CuO) and subsequent chemical reduction to copper (Cu) metal (MESCAL process) provides an efficient manufacturing process of electrically conducting Cu-SiC foams. Essentially, the electrical conductivity of these Cu-SiC foams is a function of the copper content of the material, which was adjusted via the Cu2+ concentration in the infiltration solution and the number of MESCAL cycles. An electrical conductivity of 960±69Sm−1 was obtained after five process cycles with a 3.1M Cu(NO3)2 solution.